Price-conscious, considerate and rational – that is how young consumers see themselves. They favour Finnish products and hold the Pirkka brand high regard.
And when selecting their future employers, they place more emphasis on values than salaries.
Although the consumption behaviour of young people has remained more or less unchanged in recent years, ecological and ethical issues have an increasing impact on their choices.
"More than half of them believe that through their consumption choices they can influence on the future of the world," says Mikko Ampuja, Business Development Manager of 15/30 Research, which carried out a national study, assessing the values, attitudes and lifestyles of Finns aged 15-30 years.
Finnish origins favoured
According to the study, 40 percent of young consumers value healthiness, take the environment into consideration and prefer Finnish products.
Finnish origins are seen to guarantee many important things – besides high quality and reliability, also ethical, ecological and health aspects.
Young people also think that buying Finnish products has a positive impact on employment.
Familiar and safe for everyday use
Finnish brands favoured by the young are strongly linked to their everyday activities, providing a sense of familiarity and safety as an opposite to the insecure future.
"Some of young consumers still have a bad conscience for their choices. The trading sector and brands should think about ways of helping them make decisions," says Ampuja.
"Nearly half of young people said that they would rather repair and restore existing things than buy new ones. This presents a great challenge for companies but also an opportunity to create new types of services."
Pirkka keeps rolling
When young people were asked to name companies or brands that they considered the most friendly, Pirkka was the first one that came to their minds.
And when asked to name the most positive companies or brands, they placed Pirkka second after Valio. Pirkka was also voted the fourth most genuine.
The criteria they gave included good service and price–quality relation.
Money doesn't talk
Young consumers' attitudes towards wealth and money seem very critical. They place creativity, wellbeing, responsibility and awareness higher in the scale.
"When choosing jobs, they highlight company values and opportunities to express themselves rather than salaries. In the future, employers need to be increasingly transparent to confirm their eligibility," says Ampuja.